Blog

Monthly Archives: January 2011

Kale

WINTER 2011. KALE. 01.28.11

Living in a house of boys means that I hear comments like “this tastes like barf smells” at the dinner table. Not quite the gesture of gratitude I was hoping for after pulling together a fresh, hot meal. And you should hear some of the things my children utter. Not every meal here meets with immediate approval. I try to vary our dishes quite a bit and many times, my creations are met with wrinkled noses and firmly pursed lips. Most parents will tell you that presenting green items on a plate is a surefire way to wage mealtime warfare. Kale is only a superfood if you can actually get it into them, right?

If you missed my recipe for kale chips last fall, try them out. Turning kale into something resembling junk food was a good way to introduce my kids to this highly nutritious green. That’s a pitiful statement, but it’s true. They don’t eat everything I put in front of them and in some cases, they refuse to even try. So why do I keep serving them these unpopular foods? I don’t have scientific proof to back this up, but I have to believe that if they see their parents eating a variety of nutritious, whole foods and they are regularly offered said foods, they will reap some benefit eventually. At some point. Maybe not until much later. I won’t know until they’re a bit older. Perhaps not until they’ve gone away to college and have to fend for themselves or be faced with repulsive cafeteria food. So check back with me then. But for now, I’m going to take a leap of faith and stick to my theory.

Grapefruit

WINTER 2011. GRAPEFRUIT. 01.14.11

The idea of a perfect food is probably a myth. But I’d like to think there is a contender in a single food that can be enjoyed at breakfast, lunch, dinner ormuddled with vodka for a happy hour concoction that’s really worth a grin. I might be in love. And I’ve surely mitigated any risk of scurvy. I can admit to having had a bit of fun experimenting with grapefruit. It stands alone well, but also easily combines with other ingredients to create savory or sweet accents. This week of menus is my favorite yet (you’ve heard that before? I really mean it this time!). The dishes are clean, simple and extremely fresh. Who says that winter produce is boring? I beg to differ.

After a long holiday break, one would think I’d be firmly settled back into work mode, nose firmly trained on grindstone. Think again. Adjustment to a harsh (not to mention cold) new year can be brutal and is best handled with what else? A holiday, of course. In the meantime, please consult the recipes page to revisit a favorite or try something new. Weren’t your kids asking you to make that chili again anyway? I’ll be back on January 28 with the next installment of not-the-least-bit-boring winter produce.